Can the jack handle be moved to opposite side?

Jannon · July 2017

Does anyone know if the handle/crank can be moved to the opposite side? It is a 2018 CS-S. Unsure what the jack make/model is at this time.

Ratkity · July 2017

No, the holes in the frame won't line up. There are jacks on etrailer where you can do just that. I have gotten an electric jack (bigger camper) and it can be rotated to the *side*, not completely turned around. I didn't look at the manual jacks. I needed the extra room to drop the tailgate of my truck with the electric one. Works great. A thunderstorm chased me inside, or I'd have finished wiring the jack to a 7-pin connector so I use the TV battery to remove the weight distribution hitch and then to level.

TabberJohn · July 2017

The literature for the BAL 29025 Sidewind Jack indicates "accessible gear housing for lubrication and service". It looks like you can pry the top plate off on one side. I couldn't find a diagram to determine if the handle can be assembled from either direction.
Someone on this forum has taken the top apart for a mod. I think it was to convert their jack to accept a cordless drill. Perhaps they'll have a definitive answer.

Z_G · July 2017

Look at a jack-e-up or other removable jack solution...there might be one available on teardrop shop .... it allows you to rotate the jack. If you go this route search the forum ... there are other options available but you might have to do some minor fiddling with the install...

Jannon · July 2017

Thanks... scoping some of those out now!

Tabaz · July 2017

I replaced the crank handle with a bolt to use with a drill. I think reversing the handle might work. Pop the metal cover off the top. You'll see two gears - one horizontal and one vertical. There is a small pin behind the vertical gear that goes through the handle. I'm guessing you can remove that pin, then move the vertical gear to the rear plate on the jack with the handle now at the rear.

Dalehelman · July 2017

Tabaz said:

I replaced the crank handle with a bolt to use with a drill. I think reversing the handle might work. Pop the metal cover off the top. You'll see two gears - one horizontal and one vertical. There is a small pin behind the vertical gear that goes through the handle. I'm guessing you can remove that pin, then move the vertical gear to the rear plate on the jack with the handle now at the rear.

That will work. You will have to drill a new hole in the crank shaft.

Dalehelman · July 2017

Tabaz · July 2017

Dale - I was thinking a new whole would be unnecessary. Just push the handle back in the rear hole of the bracket, slide the vertical gear on the shaft, re-insert the pin, then slide it into the hole in the front. BTW, thanks again for inventing this "drill" mod - it is by far one of my favorites!

Dalehelman · July 2017

It might work I would give it a try first. I think it is symmetrical so it should work.

Ratkity · July 2017

I wanted to do the same thing. My screws were stuck and I stripped one. I gave up (probably too easily).

Keep us updated!

CanyonTravelers · December 2017

I just remounted the jack 180 degrees. I unscrewed the original bolts, swung the jack around 180 degrees, you will have to re-drill the bolt holes and use nuts but it was an easy mod.

Dalehelman · December 2017

CanyonTravelers said:

I just remounted the jack 180 degrees. I unscrewed the original bolts, swung the jack around 180 degrees, you will have to re-drill the bolt holes and use nuts but it was an easy mod.

Sounds like you must have rotated the whole jack assembly 180*. In this post we were discussing just removing the crank roll pin and placing on the other side.

JabGopher · May 2021

This is quite a old thread but given these BAL tongue jacks are fairly ubiquitous across the model years I figured I'd post how I managed to place the handle on the other side.

I recently picked up a new TV and realized my tailgate wouldn't clear. The adjustable hitch would hit the top of the handle so I searched this site and came across this thread.

Based on the photo above, once you pry off the top cover and knock out the pin (circled in yellow in above), you will need a spacer for the vertical gear to stay in place and engage the horizontal gears.

I took the calipers to the handle diameter and also the approximate amount of spacer required.

The handle diameter is 1/2" and the spacer required was ~5/16" or ~3/8". The store only had 3/8" so I picked up a Nylon spacer. It did the trick as you can see in the photo below. Note, keep the shouldered spacer from the original hitch side, in place, as the hole on that side is larger than the one on the trailer side.

Image: https://tpiwwp.com/out.php/i11179_bal-1.jpeg

GatorEgg · May 2021

Yes, but it takes a small amount of “doing”. Pry the cover off and you’ll see what you need to do.

AnOldUR · May 2021

.

JabGopher · May 2021

AnOldUR said:

If this mod is not enough to open a tailgate, has anyone put diamond plate across the frame and mounted the jack to it back closer to the stock propane/battery tub? Do you see any problem with doing this?

I can see a couple things.

First, you would need more cranking force to raise the trailer. You're shortening the distance to the axle/fulcrum and losing leverage. The jack is rated to 2,000lbs so it should handle the additional stress however.

Next would be finding someone to trust to make the new plating structurally sound enough and not put any undue stress on the frame and certainly losing any warranty you may have left.

Another solution I've seen is the Jack-E-Up, or buying a longer hitch. Both also have their own considerations of course.

Dalehelman · May 2021

I vote do it.

Marceline · May 2021

JabGopher said:

AnOldUR said:

If this mod is not enough to open a tailgate, has anyone put diamond plate across the frame and mounted the jack to it back closer to the stock propane/battery tub? Do you see any problem with doing this?

I can see a couple things.

First, you would need more cranking force to raise the trailer. You're shortening the distance to the axle/fulcrum and losing leverage. The jack is rated to 2,000lbs so it should handle the additional stress however.

Next would be finding someone to trust to make the new plating structurally sound enough and not put any undue stress on the frame and certainly losing any warranty you may have left.

Another solution I've seen is the Jack-E-Up, or buying a longer hitch. Both also have their own considerations of course.

Would it be a bad idea to just get a flip up jack that bolts onto the side of the frame? Of course it would be off center, but does that matter once you get the stabilizers down?

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Fulton/F141133.html

Basil48192 · August 2022

Again, I know this is an old post, but still relevant on my 2021. I made the same modification as JabGopher above. I added a 1/2"Ø set collar to keep the original bushing from falling out. I also opened up the new 'crank-side' hole to accept a bronze, flanged bushing. Maybe a little over-kill...but it worked well and I didn't have to re-drill the shaft.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/fq/zptsy2jecd2l.jpg

HappyHank · November 2023

Hi, since a few of you were able to do this mod, would you explain how you got the pin out @JabGopher and @Basil48192? When I tried, I knocked out a pin in the middle but there was still an outer sheath around it that seems to be connected to the crank shaft. Are both the pin and the sheath around it supposed to come out? I’m attaching a pic of mine with the middle pin out and the sheath shown.

Basil48192 · November 2023

@HappyHank. Your set-up is a bit strange but, yes, both the pin and the sheath need to be removed. Mine did not have the solid pin on the inside...just the 'sheath'...which is typically called a roll pin.
Roll pins are commonly used in place of solid dowels for power transmission. The advantage over a dowel is that they are made of spring steel with a split along the length. This allows for a nice, snug fit which stays in place in spite of vibration and temperature swings. I've never seen a roll pin used with a second, inner pin, but I would go ahead and reinstall both. It doesn't hurt a thing and provides a little extra strength. Hope this helps!

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Can the jack handle be moved to opposite side?

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